Bengaluru: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday said that the Pragyan rover on the Moon has been put to sleep and it hopes to wake up the probe 14 days later.
The space organisation has put off the payloads that send data to the Earth via the lander.
The rover has two payloadsthe Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS).
If the Pragyan rover cannot have a successful awakening, it will remain on the Moon forever as Indias lunar ambassador.
The Pragyan rover and the Vikram lander had been working in a synchronised manner to collect critical scientific data.
The APXS and LIBS payloads are designed to analyze the elemental and mineralogical composition of the lunar soil and rocks.
The Rover completed its assignments. It is now safely parked and set into Sleep mode. APXS and LIBS payloads are turned off. Data from these payloads is transmitted to the Earth via the Lander. Currently, the battery is fully charged. The solar panel is oriented to receive the light at the next sunrise expected on September 22, 2023. The receiver is kept on. Hoping for a successful awakening for another set of assignments! Else, it will forever stay there as Indias lunar ambassador, ISRO wrote in a post on X.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
The Rover completed its assignments.
It is now safely parked and set into Sleep mode.
APXS and LIBS payloads are turned off.
Data from these payloads is transmitted to the Earth via the Lander.
Currently, the battery is fully charged.
The solar panel is
ISRO (@isro) September 2, 2023
The Pragyan Rover ramped out on the Moon from the belly of the Vikram lander after its successful landing.
It has detected and confirmed the presence of sulphur, iron, oxygen, and other elements on the moon.
Chandrayaan-3 soft landed on the Lunar surface on August 23, 2023, marking Indias success as only the fourth country after US, China and Russia to achieve the feat.
The rovers journey of 100 meters stands testimony to ISROs complete capability in achieving safe landing and roving on the Moons surface.
